River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-01-27

myself tomorrow of all the information
| could get, and then soon afterwards
Withdrew to bed, where ! slept soundly
till morning.
Early next day. before come down
to breakfast. | heard an alteration
outside my bedroom door between
father and son. The latter persisted
that mot for no gentleman, would be
incumber himself with a heay Ter load
IN his present state than he was barely
able to carry, and | then, as he spoke
rather pertly, had the qualification of
hearing the fathers boot applied TO
him, also the parent calling Linn "a
disobedicnt cur, not worth the tearing
on him,
Thinking it was time To interpose.
thrust my head outside the door and
| assured the father that | needed no
assistance on the road. and intimated
that the lad should be allowed to
proceed on his errand without me-
CLEANED a good deal of informa-
ton from Smyth-John Henry Smyth.
about the various murders al the ford
/ He was more communicative than the
liquor store keeper of the day previous
/ He had laid the entire blame upon the
laxity of the police, and he conlided to
me the fact that in the town where
we We're select band of men had
formed themselves into league under
4 his Presidentship to lynch the culprit.
before he could be brought to trial,
and that every man was sworn TO the
| job
Soon after having partaken of fru-
/ gal breakfast ! proposed to start on
my journey, and resisted the proposal
of Mr.. Smyth to remain for dinner. He
said he would have as nice pair Of
| chickens ~ ever smoked on table ready
for me to make amends for yesterday :
bad cooking, but as did not feel like
eating | excused myself on the plea that
| the strong ale of his town had taken
away my appetite. | then shook hands
with him after having settled my
bill.
/ In the course of my walk back to the
ford | leisurely noted every dwelling
within view. and observed as only a
/ detective can, the very few
passers-by that traversed that lonely
road. | called in at Jakev
/ Watkin's and was served in his absence
with glass of beer by his daughter. 1t
was about four hours past noon whenI
came in sight of the stream, and a. n
walked down the incline of about j
quarter of mile in the road leading
to the ford | observed young Johnny
I C,,,.th
side of the road beside the stream with
a small sack of meal lying a few yards
from him on the ground.
! When | came up to the boy. he had
/ apparently just rearranged the bag
around his foot. | determined that,
come what might, and If even | were
in an obliging mood, would not allow
him to carry my bag.
We'll, Johnny, is this the only
distance you've come, although you We
had few hours start of me? But |
forget your foot" said |, pointing
dewnwards with my stick.
Its real bad, sir; that it be. and
father doesn't care how much | walk
on it. 1t might have been well before
J AAiAN pAlAN hC oCth1 liit Ohls
why, Johnny, its | should help
you with Your load, Iobserved.
Il conldn't expect that. sir, said
the boy, tears almost coming into his
eyes at sympathy being eyinced for
for him. but if ye'd help to put the
sack on my back I'll sorter manage. =
That | will with pleasure. |
cheerfully offered. as Johnny lowered
himself slightly and turned his back
4 10 me.
| was in the act of STOPPING to pick
/ up the sack when my ear detected a
slight click somewhere about the boys
person.
Quick was about to say quicker
than lightning Il swept my stick across
/ the back of the young imp. who fell
with groan face foremost. tiny piS-
tol dropping from his hand on the in
slant.
/ rushed forward to where he lay par
/ TALLY stunned.
Tell me all. / demanded, holding
my revolver to his forehead. mean
while picking up his weapon.
FEATHER made me do it, covered
the boy. Il had to-"
''How many have you used thus
Inquired.
Seven was the answer the Young
| fiend returned.
Yes, and was to be the eighth.
Now, look here, III try to beg YOU off, >
said huiriedly, with the view of not
giving him time to hatch n lie. ''tell me
where the prOperty-the MONEY! y
Father has best part under the
counter in the store.
Enough said |, ''cOme with me-
fixing the bracelets on his wrists and
watching t'.at his hands. which were
rather small and out of proportion 10
the size of his head, did not slip
through
marched him across the stream and
along the road TO Mineral Point. and
placed him in custody of the police,
and having given directions to the re-
sponsble officer sent for the Coroner.
who came i'm the course of a few min
utes, when we examined the weapon.
1t was not more than four inches in
length from the end of the handle to
the bore of the muZzle, and could be
easily carried in one ; waistcoat pocket.
The barrel was less than the eighth
of an inch in diameter across the aper-
ture Upon discharging the pistol at a
pillow about two yards distant the nee
die with which it was loaded penetra-
ted the soft object about six inches. We
found that the effectivc carrying power
OF. the devilish implement did not eX-
coed three yards, and the discharge pro-
duced less sound than would be caused
by exploding an ordinary percussion
cap, and that the weapon was to be
loaded at the breach.
The boy had half dozen small
cartridges. caps, and needles in a box
in one of his pockets. The weapon
which was of very delicate and in
genous construction, when aimed. and
it was designed TO be. at vital part,
and from a close range, would prove
a. fatal as an ordinary revolver, and it
possessed the merit, having regard to its
object, of almost defying detection in
its results. No blood flowed externally
from the wound, death being instan-
taneous from internal hemorrhage of
the heart, the needle sufiicing to stop
the outward flow as the flesh quickly
closed up over the small puncture.
Mr. John Henry Smyth had not the